Duke Warwick Lazare of Gauvadon
Duke Warwick Lazare is the 2nd Duke of Gauvadon, and the incumbent head and only member of the Lazare Dynasty. Born on the 26th of Last Seed, the son of Sir Braddock Lazare, a knight who climbed the social ranks remarkably quickly and guard to King Titus of Evermore, his family rose to power directly from the Gauvadon rebellion. His life has, to many people, been a visual example of the tumultuous Evermore politics, and he is still seen as a unstable and dangerous political force, especially towards the incumbent Queen Syllawen. Early Life Warwick's birth on 26th of Last Seed was a political boon to his ambitious father. Braddock, having been born in near-serf conditions, was almost overwhelmed with the riches that arose from his friendship with King Titus of Evermore, and was in stead to aquire even more honours. The birth of a healthy, legitimate heir at a time when Titus was looking to replace the rebellious Dukes of Gauvadon, the family of his scandalous first wife, gave Titus an easy desicion. Warwick was the ticket to his father's new title, Duke of Gauvadon. When Warwick was four, Braddock, forced to relinquish his title as a Knight of the Hourglass, was looking for new ways to gain the King's favour. Braddock sent his son to the King, intending to secure another, filial bond by having the King tutor his son. Titus agreed to the proposal, and Warwick spent the next two years in the splendid wealth of the capital, having a specific fondness for its extensive library. During this time, Warwick learnt to read off the back of old Cyrodiilic stories, specifically the tale of the Alessian Slave Rebelion and the defeat of the High Elves, the ideal of which would have a profound effect on him in later life. Arrival of the Queen and Braddock's Downfall In 4E 11, Warwick aged 6, King Titus married Syllawen, a Direnni noble from the isles of Balfiera. Reportedly, the young Lord had been out talking a walk in the foothills of the Wrothgarian with one of his guardians when he was told the news, and refused to return to the castle for 'The best part of four hours', being afraid that the childhood stories of Alessia's oppression by the Aylieds were happening again. Shortly thereafter, he wrote a letter to his father, Braddock, asking him to recall him to Gauvadon. Braddock, unwilling to evoke tension between himself and the King, but equally, though more maturely, concerned about the Direnni Queen, waited two years before granting the request. Braddock told the king that he was recalling his son in order to show him and 'exciting project', which was partially true, for the Duke had just approved plans for the construction of a port along the Iliac Bay, to be aptly named 'Lazare'. The excuse was unconvincing, Warwick spent all summers with his father in Gauvadon, but was permitted nonetheless, the King no doubt assuming Braddock, or Braddock's wife, wished to be closer to their son. When Warwick did return, his father immediately began setting him against the new Queen. Warwick, despite his two years of living with the kindly Queen, was responsive to the indoctrination, being sufficiently young enough to fear the Alessian stories. Braddock, having kept a scholarly eye to the Summerset Isles, feared the use of the Queen as a Thalmor proxy,or at least this was his public face, for there were many who dismissed him as a racist. Nonetheless, Braddock was sufficiently dedicated to his cause to follow through on his fears. The Duke began casually slandering the Queen and banquets, and sought out and socialised specifically with those known to be uncomfortable with the marriage. There were reports of Warwick being used as a pawn in this endeavour, talking to other children about his fears about the Queen, and of Elven enslavement. When the King failed to act on this behaviour, Braddock became more bold. Around 4E 16, he began garnering allies within Evermore's court to present an ultimatum to the King, demanding his divorce. It seemed, however, that Braddock had played his hand too early, and in 4E 17 the King appointed him leader of his forces in the reclamation of Portadun Creek, a demeaning position that Braddock could have no hope of success in. However, the King had intended the campaign to serve as an embarrassment to Braddock, and to go no further than that. It came as a shock to everyone then, when it was reported that a surprisingly committed Portadun soldier had driven through Evermore lines to strike down Braddock. Warwick was distraught at the loss of his father, not only for the fact that he had lost his only remaining parent (records of his mother are scarce, though it is known she died early on), but also for that fact that he was left in a devices social position. Braddock had been over zealous in his comments against the Queen, and had left his son, aged only 12 and Duke of one of the richest area of High Rock, with an unspoken expulsion from the Evermore court. Duke of Gauvadon Warwick decided to play a cautious game. The young Duke rejected the reagents proposed by the King, to his mind a protection against his grasping Queen, and instead assembled a council of 12 of his father's advisors, and his own tutors, to teach him how to rule his domain. However, he wanted to evoke memories of the King and Braddock's brotherhood in Titus, and so gifted Braddock's prised sword at a formal banquet to celebrate Portadun's annexation in 4E 18. He also reversed his father's desicion of name for the new Gauvadon costal town, naming it Titus Creek after the ageing King in a irresistible gesture of respect. Warwick used his new found power to better himself personally, training long into the nights with his quarter master, Mathieu Greencroft, learning all manner of fighting styles, and preportedly became extremely proficient with the game of chess. Many in court took these endeavours as an aspiration to military command, and many astute cortiers feared he intended to follow his father's example and campaign against his father. Internally, Warwick was wrought with paranoia. The Duke took the suspicious death of his father, immediately following his boycott campaign against the Queen, as proof of Braddock's concerns. Warwick became increasingly convinced of the Queen's ill-intentions, and firm heartedly believed she needed to be replaced with a human sovereign before the Direnni line could be reestablished. When Titus died in 4E 26, he attened and was visibly moved at the public funeral, but neglected to put in an appearance the Queen's coronation. Juxtaposing this ,however, was how he endeavoured to externally repair the damage his father did to the relationship between the Lazare and Direnni dynasties, in order to maintain his political position. This can be attributed to burgeoning emotional instability and emotional storms. Category:Characters Category:Breton Category:Nobility Category:Gauvadon Category:Evermore